[syn: permeate, pervade, penetrate, interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue, riddle]
5. speak in riddles;
6. explain a riddle;
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. t.
To explain; to solve; to unriddle.
[1913 Webster]
Riddle me this, and guess him if you can. --Dryden.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. i.
To speak ambiguously or enigmatically. "Lysander riddles very
prettily." --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Riddle \Rid"dle\ (r[i^]d"d'l), n. [OE. ridil, AS. hridder; akin
to G. reiter, L. cribrum, and to Gr. kri`nein to distinguish,
separate, and G. rein clean. See Crisis, Certain.]
1. A sieve with coarse meshes, usually of wire, for
separating coarser materials from finer, as chaff from
grain, cinders from ashes, or gravel from sand.
[1913 Webster]
2. A board having a row of pins, set zigzag, between which
wire is drawn to straighten it.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Riddle \Rid"dle\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Riddled (r[i^]d"d'ld);
p. pr. & vb. n. Riddling (r[i^]d"dl[i^]ng).]
1. To separate, as grain from the chaff, with a riddle; to
pass through a riddle; as, riddle wheat; to riddle coal or
gravel.
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2. To perforate so as to make like a riddle; to make many
holes in; as, a house riddled with shot.
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The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Riddle \Rid"dle\, n. [For riddels, s being misunderstood as the
plural ending; OE. ridels, redels. AS. r[=ae]dels; akin to D.
raadsel, G. r[aum]thsel; fr. AS. r[=ae]dan to counsel or
advise, also, to guess. [root]116. Cf. Read.]
Something proposed to be solved by guessing or conjecture; a
puzzling question; an ambiguous proposition; an enigma;
hence, anything ambiguous or puzzling.
[1913 Webster]
To wring from me, and tell to them, my secret,
That solved the riddle which I had proposed. --Milton.
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'T was a strange riddle of a lady. --Hudibras.
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WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
riddle
n 1: a difficult problem [syn: riddle, conundrum, enigma,
brain-teaser]
2: a coarse sieve (as for gravel)
v 1: pierce with many holes; "The bullets riddled his body"
2: set a difficult problem or riddle; "riddle me a riddle"
3: separate with a riddle, as grain from chaff [syn: riddle,
screen]
4: spread or diffuse through; "An atmosphere of distrust has
permeated this administration"; "music penetrated the entire
building"; "His campaign was riddled with accusations and
personal attacks" [syn: permeate, pervade, penetrate,
interpenetrate, diffuse, imbue, riddle]
5: speak in riddles
6: explain a riddle